Innovative Homelessness Solutions: Project Frostschutzengel 2.0 in Berlin, Germany

Project Frostschutzengel 2.0 Berlin, Germany Winners of the FEANTSA Ending Homelessness 2018 Gold Award

Overview 1.Description of the Project and our work 2.Challenges faced 3.Thoughts for the next programming period

Our work Initially funded by donations in the framework of K ltehilfe Funded by FEAD since 2016, now in the second funding period Cooperation between GEBEWO and Caritas Berlin - social assistance and healthcare counselling

GEBEWO - Social assistance Mobile in-reach consultation Services provided in English, German, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Romanian Main target group: mobile EU citizens affected by or at risk of homelessness Also: Germans affected by homelessness and, since 2019, children of mobile EU citizens

GEBEWO - Social assistance Concept: to build a bridge between particularly vulnerable and hard-to-reach target group and existing services Goal: long-term use of these services, connection to social workers to take on casework, leading to social inclusion and housing

Caritas - healthcare counselling Healthcare assistance based at the Caritas Clinic for Homeless People at Berlin Zoo station Outreach healthcare counselling, social assistance in new in-patient facility Krankenwohnung Effective collaboration through parallel provision of healthcare and social assistance Services exclusively for marginalised genders twice a month

Challenges faced 1.Permitted topics for consultation 2.Discrepancies between concept and service network/ needs of the users 3.Lack of material/financial assistance

Challenges faced - permitted topics Consultation regarding the labour market and social benefits explicitly excluded under FEAD Reason: Separation of FEAD and ESF Negative impact on service users: entitlement gap between funds

Challenges faced - permitted topics Service users particularly vulnerable to exploitation on labour market Jobseeking EU citizens excluded from unemployment benefits in Germany ESF projects often only accessible to those in receipt of benefits - gap between funds

Challenges faced - permitted topics Many users could be entitled to benefits but do not have access to qualified advice Benefits often the only way to prevent debts to medical insurance companies avoid a criminal record for travelling without a ticket take part in a language course

Challenges faced - discrepancy between concept and service network/needs of users Referral to existing services often does not lead to connection to social work Hurdles to long-term casework: (perceived) language barrier Discrimination Lack of knowledge, lack of resources

Challenges faced - discrepancy between concept and service network/needs of users Funding does not take into account personal preferences of service user Pressure put on local services which have not adapted to the changing demographics of homelessness Pure referral consultation can only stabilise homelessness and deprivation, not end it

Challenges faced - lack of material/financial assistance Many service users have needs which cannot be met by social assistance alone Common problems: lost identification documents long distances to cover for material assistance, lack of autonomy

Outlook on future funding ESF+ could be a good way to ensure better efficacy of social assistance Funding should allow consultation about work, social rights and benefits, direct donations to service users Pressure on local authorities to fund similar projects - example TRIA Berlin

Thank you! Anastasia Mikheeva www.frostschutzengel.de beratung@frostschutzengel.de